According to a State Department readout, attributed to Ned Price, Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman, who led the U.S. delegation in the strategic talks this past week with Russia, spoke on Jan. 14 with Organization of Security and Cooperation for Europe (OSCE) Secretary General Helga Schmid about using the OSCE as a platform to de-escalate tensions over Ukraine. They also welcomed the OSCE Polish Chairman-in-Office Zbigniew Rau’s proposal to launch a revitalized European security dialogue at the OSCE. The readout stated: “This dialogue will enable all 57 OSCE participating States to discuss urgent issues affecting European security, such as Russia’s continued and unprovoked military build-up on Ukraine’s borders.” Nonetheless the Deputy Secretary and OSCE Secretary General agreed that “the OSCE is a critical venue to reduce insecurity and build trust in the region.” (https://www.state.gov/deputy-secretary-shermans-call-with-osce-secretary-general-schmid-2/)
Today TASS reports that Rau plans to visit Moscow in mid-February citing a statement by Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina on Jan. 15. Rau will first visit Ukraine and the United States. “And in the middle of next month, most probably, on Feb. 15, the OSCE chair will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. A visit to Moscow is a normal procedure for the OSCE chair as Russia is one of the most important member states of that organization,” he said.
